New Project... Christmas Baskets!

After the Halloween baskets....I dont know how many of these I will make. But these first two were lots of fun. I got the idea here: CambriaTurnbow I used my new nestabilities dies and cute papertreyink stamps. I love these little stamps, they are awesome! Everything at papertreyink is pretty awesome, I have another order arriving tomorrow! LOL, I love to shop almost as much as I love to make stuff.

I feel like I should post....

but honestly I have nothing to say! My life is that boring. I havent made any new projects, the Halloween baskets about did me in! It was fun for the first 5 or 6 and then after that it was a PITA!

Anyway no big plans, no fun projects, the kids have been fairly mellow, the job is moving right along. HMMMMMM.. Ok I have it! Book review time:

I am America (And so Can You) by Stephen Colbert



I LOOOOOVE this book! If you enjoy the tv show (on comedy central) you will love this! Even my republican husband likes it. It is so funny. This guy is so smart and his comedy is so good! Definitely a great idea for a Christmas present, I would think.

Things I thought I would never have to say....

When you become a parent you expect you are going to have to explain lots of things (such as: why you use a fork to eat, why you dont pull the cat's tail, why you shouldnt play in the street....) but there are some things I thought I would never have to explain. Some things, I thought, are self explanatory... I mean they are so flippin obvious even a monkey could understand them... And yet I find myself saying, all the time, things I thought I would never have to say:
* Don't lick the soccer cleats
* Don't put makeup on the cat
* Underwear is not for playing with (every stuffed animal was wearing a pair)
* Make up is not the same as watercolors
* You may not live under the dining room table
* You can not be a unicorn when you grow up
* Do not try to dig you boogers out with a fork
* You can not sit on the baby, even if he cries too much

What are some things you thought you would never have to say.....

My babies!

My witch and my Anakin. He was very upset at the people who called him Luke, Mace Windu, and Obe One. He kept telling people no no no I am Anakin! Luke is my son! LOL

Because I am cool...

this is how I am teaching today....

Plush Accomodations

So I took a trip this last week to the California Science Teachers Conference in Long Beach. It was amazing!!!! The hotel we stayed at? yeah, not so much. Below is our pool. This would be the view from our balcony. Beautiful, no?

And here is another guest....well I guess he was a guest...before he met an untimely death. He was relaxing at the pool when his time came. I guess I shouldnt complain since the trip was free.

RIP Microwave

UGH! You know its going to be a bad day when you have to actually get out a pan and boil water for your tea! Maybe I should have coughed up 3 bucks and gone to starbucks. Anyhow my Microwave has passed away. It just decided to stop working. Oh it turns on, it makes noise, the turn table turns, but no microwave goodness actually comes out! I guess it will be off to Sears for us in the next few days. Of course this stuff can never happen on a weekend when you have time to replace and install a new one. Actually I am thinking the microwave heard us on the phone talking to the mechanic about how much it would be to fix my husband's car and then thought "I will show these guys, I will die right now! Double whammy!! haheha!" Or it could just be my bad luck in general.

I have figured out whats wrong with our health care system....

and its called we think your 20 minute ER visit was worth.... get this.....
1,344.00!!!! Yes, you read that right, ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR dollars. For a 20 MINUTE ER visit (not including the 2.5 hours I sat waiting with my baby girl puking all over me and her tupperware bowl.) After the extremely long wait we were ushered back to the "bed" section. The dr. examined baby girl. Listened to me go on about her symptoms. He listened to her heart, gave her the once over. Gave her a pill to stop the nauesea. Made us sit for 15 minutes to make sure she could hold down a cup of water and then we paid our copay and left. That was it. Now granted we were at the ER (which I was told to go to by the Dr. on call at our pediatrician's office) so I understand it might cost a little more for after hours treatment but one thousand three hundred and forty four dollars???? I mean omg, WTF? This seriously makes me wonder what the charge was for my apendectomy with severe complications that led to a brief stay in ICU and a full seven days in the hospital. That must be what like several million I guess, if its 1300 every 20 minutes. I wouldnt even had known the cost if the ins. hadnt sent some letter about how they "knew" we must have other health ins. on our kids and we are holding out on them. Ummm no. We pay enough at my husband's job we dont need double. I guarantee this sad sorry health care system we have is going to implode....probably sooner than later.

YIKES!

Its been a week! I had so much time to waste on the computer over the summer, but now, jeez work is taking up all my time. And then after work my little darlings require alot of attention. Oh and then my blog reading....yeah thats work to keep up with! LOL...so that is my laundry list of excuses.

This weekend I have been making cute little halloween treat baskets. I got the idea from this blogcapture the moment She has some cool stuff, I could look at her projects all day.

World Card Day

In honor of World Card Day.... I give you my latest card.

Splurge Worthy??

I got this idea somewhere else...but I am old and the brain doesnt work so well and well I cant remember very well! Anyway here is my list of 5 splurge worthy items and 5 items that there is no way I am paying retail.

Splurge Worthy
1. Diet Dr. Pepper
2. Nice Trousers
3. Gorgeous scrapbook paper
4. chocolate
5. good art supplies

Unsplurge worthy
1. Shoes (why pay retail when there is always a deal to be found)
2. Purses (yes I am probably in the minority, but no way am I paying 200 bucks for a purse)
3. Milk (the store brand is the same)
4. Books (even the latest can be found at costco cheap!)
5. Water (the tap tastes fine to me)

Let me know what you find spurge worthy!!

Why I Am Fat... Part Deux

This is the remains of my ice cream sundae that I ate upon returning from my workout at the gym. I think if I didnt go to the gym the Discovery Channel would be coming to film me for one of their fattest people in the world shows.

OCTOBER!!!

I love october and all its halloween goodness! Of course I usually add several pounds to my already packed frame in October. Why oh why is chocolate so good??!! I dont even buy trick or treat candy until the very last minute because I know myself, and Myself eats chocolate when its in this house, whether its earmarked for another purpose or not! How many days will I last this year before I cave to the creamy goodness that is Halloween candy? Stay tuned.....

I am a creature of habit

Its Wednesday, on Wednesdays I like to play WCW. So um I think I am gonna play. Hoping that will be ok with TKW... ya know I dont normally hijack people's games but like I said I am a creature of habit and on Wednesdays I like to play WCW. So here goes.... oh wait... I pick F or P, either of those will work with my picture. You can play too... just make up whatever rule you want and let me know so I can come see your pictures!

These are giant pollywogs or frogs. They were huge!!! Like the size of your fist! Crazy big, I had never seen anything like it.

Theres a Reason I am Fat....

and its called I just ate a cheeseburger and order of onion rings from this awesome place called the Habit. OMG YUM! And I dont even like burgers. Can't be going back there or I will never lose an ounce, let alone a few dozen pounds.

Crying Buckets Over Here

My first ever blog read, my very favorite blog read, the reason I have this stupid blog, TKW has decided to ride off into the sunset (or snow drift...I am not sure which) and leave me without suitable reading material before work every morning. Now I know the world is full of bigger problems then what I am going to read...but wow... I am sad, sad, sad about this. It makes me kind of snicker at myself because I dont even know TKW's real name... and yet I feel like a friend is leaving. sigh. I read lots of blogs...I comment on a few... I have had "favorite" bloggers drop off the blogosphere before, I have even been sad about it, but not like this. This is depressing. Clearly I am too attached, but feelings are what they are. And so today...I am going to go off and sulk in a corner for awhile.

soda POP!

I dont know if I shared that I am a science teacher. I teach science grades 1 to 6. I love it...I mean LOVE it. I love sharing the need to question everything. Today we shook up soda and then opened it and watched it go everywhere. Kids LOVE this. I urge you to do it. Take your kids outside (or borrow some kids) get some cans or bottles of diet (less sticky) coke and go for it! So much fun. Oh and heres a tip. Get a bottle of soda, shake it up, open it....ooh...ahhhh. Ok now pour out a little bit, put the lid on and shake it again....now you will really get an explosion! Enjoy!

Wild Card Wednesday... Wayback style

I give you sorority fun. I believe this was some kind of serenade. Clearly we were all suppose to wear black. I am the idiot in the front, sort of squatting, wearing a hideous leather jacket (stolen from an old boyfriend) and an insanely huge black bow in my hair. Sad as I look in this costume, sorority life provided hours of entertainment! (and a multitude of reasons to drink!)

Soccer Saturdays

So I have officially, once again, become a soccer mom. Let me say for the record, that I HATE sports. Hate to play them, mostly hate to watch them (the exception being NBA basketball- Go KINGS!) I never, ever thought in a million years I would have a girl child who liked sports, I never thought in a million years said girl child would be any good at sports (after all she has half my genes and I suck at all sports, I even suck at walking in a straight line, I am a natural born klutz...even at the age of 34 I still fall down and I am not always intoxicated at the time!!) BUT I do have a sports loving girl child and she loves soccer. LOVES it. And she is good! I know she is only seven, but she is awesome. I am in awe. And so every Saturday morning I get up, dress the boy, and we head out to the soccer field to watch the girl play....and heres the thing... I actually enjoy it!

Joyous Bathroom Fun

My friend the comode.... I have been hugging him for the past two days. That is hugging him when I wasnt cleaning up vomit from my two children. God decided I wasnt having nearly enough fun and gave me and my children the stomach flu. ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!! Extra fun.... you get to throw up, then clean up puke, then console sobbing children, change bedding, puke again, then the kids puke again...then you repeat! Over and over again. Its been a long couple of days.

Rosemary for Rememberance

Hard to believe its been 6 years. My thoughts are with those who paid the ultimate price and their loved ones who are still paying. May God Bless America

MMMMmmmm Lovin' From the Oven!

These are my annual welcome back to the first day of school cookies that I make for the rest of our teaching/support staff. I had so much fun putting these together. Especially making the little tags because I got to use my new toy. It is a die cut machine called the cuttlebug. It works fabulously, a million times better than my big red sizzix!

Wild Card Wednesday

Whumph!!! Thats the sound of me hitting the floor when i saw these....

Mr. Iamderby bought me flowers....for no apparent reason! Flowers for no reason! Now this might be the normal way of things at your place. Maybe your Mr. writes you sappy notes, brings you flowers, buys jewelery. If that describes your Mr. than you are a lucky girl and I hope you are counting your blessings. My Mr. has not a romantic bone in his body. He deems jewelery and flowers a waste of money. Why did I marry him you ask? (Aside from the fact I was in LUUUUUVVV) Well he reeled me in with jewelry and flowers (Kinda like I lured him in with promises of homecooked meals and clean house) Yah none of those things continued on after the wedding vows were said.
Anyhow.... I came home from work and there they were, flowers for no reason at all. After I got over looking at him like he had grown another head, I thanked him profusely and moved those flowers to a prominent postition, where I plan to gaze at them until they are dried up little stalks, because who knows when I might get more!

September??? How did it get to be September???

So here we are, September! Time for me to go back to work and enjoy another year educating our nations' youth! I love my job, I love teaching. I just hate getting up for work everyday! Gone are the days of hard indecision...such as should I go to the gym now or after lunch? Should I take the children to the pool or just turn on the hose? Oh well, all good things must end sometime.

I leave you with some pictures from my pretty new calendar. This is the calendar I hang in my classroom. Its fairly small, 6x12. I love making these things!

Score at the Big Lots!

Are you all aquainted with Big Lots? This is a fabulous place...like a giant treasure hunt! Everytime you find something new, and its so cheap you simply must have it! I usually go there in search of scrapbook supplies. Currently I was looking for american crafts ribbon that was rumored to be there. (I hear these rumors at the Creating Keepsakes Message Board (CKMB) where I spend entirely too much time.) So anyway I had been to my local Big Lots where there was no ribbon to be had. I was sad! I kept thinking of the ribbon. It was so cheap! At the scrapbook store 10.75!!! But at Big Lots... 2 bucks!! So today on my way home from my work meeting I decide to stop off at the other Big Lots, this one in a rather scary part of town, but I am brave and of course I was on a mission! When I pulled up I ignored the cop car (engine running...pulled up on the sidewalk) I quickly walked the store looking for the craft supplies. I had gone through most of the store, getting more and more depressed. Then just when I was about to give up.... light shone down, angels begin to sing.... well not really but my heart did start to beat fast because there it was!! The object of my affection (ok, ok obsession!) I bought 6 rolls....because really people I am SAVING money here! I saved nearly 50 dollars by my calculations! Oh and as a bonus they had these little tins of felt flowers...regular about 6 bucks...big lots price: 3 dollars! So I had to get one of those as well. As I was paying the cops in the back of the store started shouting and it appeared some kind of arrest was about to go down, so I hurried to the car and drove off with my prizes!

Big Fun

The California State Fair! We imposed a no ride rule on the kids this year. This earned me a sulk worthy of any teenager from my seven year old. However once we got out of the ride area the kids had a lot of fun, and Mr. Iamderby and I had a much more enjoyable time. This year we had time to look at all the animals, hit the freebie kid stuff, do the jungle walk and see all of the exhibts. The girl enjoyed seeing a baby quail hatch. Well lets face it I enjoyed that too! It was amazing seeing that little bird peck its way into the world. The boy enjoyed sucking down a huge icee and eating an enormous corn dog. He also enjoyed petting the goats, sheep, and especially the chicken. The Mr. enjoyed parting with all his money... well maybe enjoyed isnt the word, but part with it he did. Someone is getting rich and it sure isnt us! The California State Fair runs through Labor Day, if you're in the area you should go!

First Day of School

My babies on their first day of school. Baby girl is headed to second grade. Baby boy is on his second year of preschool.

TAG...I am it!

I have been tagged by Erika a very nice, scrapbook obsessed, Journey Fan.

What were you doing 10 years ago? I was a fairly new teacher, teaching first grade. I was married with no kids.
What were you doing 1 year ago? Getting ready to go back to school. Pretty much what I do every August.
Five snacks you enjoy: Chocolate, ice cream, chocolate, watermelon, chocolate (I see no pattern)
Five songs you know all the lyrics to: Know to the point where I could sit down and write them out sans music? Happy Birthday, Wheels on the Bus, Its Still Rock and Roll (Billy Joel), 5 Little Pumpkins, ummmmm yeah music is not my strength.
5 Things you would do if you were a milionaire: New House, College Fund for kids, Donate to my elementary school, new car, try to get my brother going in some kind of business.
5 Bad Habits: that I actually have? leave crap all over, procrastinate, forget to wash dishes, bite my nails
5 Things You Like To Do: computer, scrapbook, read, play with my kids, paint
5 Things You Will Never Wear Again: mini skirts, legwarmers, teal mascara, aqua eyeshadow, granny boots
5 Favorite Toys: MacBook laptop, video camera, interwrite board (at school), craft supplies
Where will you be in 10 years: I am hoping for a bigger house, probably teaching somewhere else, hopefully parenting two lovely teenagers.

Wild Card Wednesday.....S is for shoes

My current favorite pair, under my barstool where I frequently leave them.

Must wear these to the gym every day. Hate the gym, not real fond of the shoes..but they are a must. sigh. I like to leave them by the chair.

The bottom of my closet...which is obviously a disaster. I dont care, I hate housekeeping and my husband wont let me get a maid. Closet is the last thing on my list. Most of the shoes here are summer wear.

These are my neglected shoes, thats why they are still on the shelf. some of these have not been worn in a long time...notice the dust on the black heels...yeah I dont get out much. The others are work shoes and since I teach I havent been to work in about 3 months.

There you have it, my shoes, sad and pathetic I know.

My first "tag" ever...I feel like one of the cool kids now

Here are the rules:
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. ***IF you have already done your middle name than do the State that you live in with new adjectives!*****
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts. ***Or state if you have already been tagged before!***
4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.Here is mine:

Lea (pronounced Lee)

L: Lice- I had some as a kid.... No kidding (well I did have lice but jeez it was the 3rd grade!) Loud- sometimes, ok many times, I am way too loud!
E: Energetic (most days anyway)
A: Artistic (I wanted to be an artist... I ended up a school teacher. I probably would have made better money as an artist! LOL

Now comes the part where I tag someone but I have no idea who to tag so hey if you wanna play, consider yourself tagged and let me know so I can come visit!

Scrappin' My Chicago Trip

This is the first page of an album I made for my friend of our trip to Chicago. I am addicted to Heidi Swapp bling! (For you nonscrappers that would be the sparkly circle).

This page shows us at the John Deere museum. My friend, AJ, had to take me there because I stupidly said I thought corn was picked by hand. Yes, apparently there is a large expensive machine for that. Then she laughed even harder when I asked her if the machine bruised up the corn. Apparently this corn is not for eating, its hard and yucky and used for corn syrup, corn oil, and ethanol. Now before you think I am just a dumb city girl.... I come from an ag town. I grew up surrounded by fields of lettuce, onions, strawberries, spinach, etc. and all of it was picked by hand! How was I suppose to know super hard corn can be thumped down by a machine??

This page is all about Wicked! Oh it was excellent! If you get a chance to see it go!!! I was very impressed.

Lets Talk Toll Roads

This is an "oasis" on some toll road (sorry no clue which one) in Illinois. The whole concept of the oasis being (if I understood it correctly) that you could get a bite to eat and not exit the road and thus not pay any money. Ok, paying money to drive on the road. I so do NOT get this concept! Here in beautiful Northern California (I cannot speak for Southeren California as I rarely go there and its like a whole different place) we do not pay to drive on the freeway...ever. You want to go somewhere you hop on the freeway and you go... provided you have gas you are good to go. There is no tossing in change every other mile, there is no handing over 1.90 everytime you get on or off. And whats up with that? 1.90? Why the hell dont they just charge the two bucks and be done with it? Are they trying to irritate people?

We do have tolls on bridges but ya know I can hang with that (especially since they are all in the Bay area and I never need to use them). What I cannot imagine is having a full ashtray full of change just so you can drive down the freeway, excuse me I mean, interstate.

My Baby is 7!

My baby girl, my first born, is 7 today. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was in the hospital enduring the labor from hell, having her! She has grown into such a sweet and caring little soul. (And no I am not the least bit biased!)

No WCW today.... instead I give you a lil sumthin for your listening pleasure

Cat Gives Massage to Local Dolls

This is my cat Tiger. He appeared in my house one day, he wont leave. He has made the children love him, so now we have no chance of removing his shedding, clawing self somewhere else. I should show you the damage he did to my new pottery barn slip covers. Sure I got them on clearance...but STILL! Anyway, Tiger is great for comic relief. Today we found him on my daughter's bed, massaging her doll. Or maybe he was clawing the doll to death... I am not really sure. Sometimes I find him attacking stuffed animals in the night... he's a bizarre cat.

Scrapbook stuff

This is my first paperbag book. So easy to make and fun too! I love how they have little pockets...very cool. It also comes out quite sturdy. If you want to make one, basically you are folding paper lunch sacks in half and then rotating the order and binding it together. I bound mine with ribbon.

I made it for two little boys who lost their brother to a stroke recently. Poor baby was only 2 years old. As my daughter said, "Mom 2 year olds should NOT die!" Cant say I disagree with that. Anyway their parents had sent up balloons with little cards that said something to the effect of, "we want to know how far our brother has reached from heaven, send us a card with your location." I didnt actually find the card a friend of mine who knows the family sent it via the net. So anyway I was thinking what kind of card should I send when I got the idea of scrap mini book. I included extra paper, stickers, and alpha stickers so they can do it up however they want.

Why You Dont Put Pictures of Exes on Your Blog....

Because then you have to look at them (especially if you are like me and check on your own blog!). So instead of an ex boyfriend I give you my two goofy children. I had no idea they even took these pictures until I went looking for something else.

Wild Card Wednesday.... R is for Retro....

This weeks Wild Card Wednesday is brought to you by the very talented TKW and the letter R. Ok I dont know how old something has to be to be retro. This picture was taken when I was 18. I am 29+5 now so you do the math. In anycase if its not Retro my exboyfriend in the picture is named Rick, so I still score bonus points! I would like to point out that while I am wearing pink leggings and a ginormous white sweatshirt, my hair is not standing on end, nor does it have a spiral perm so I do believe I wasnt a total fashion disaster...just a partial one!

Oh and is it wrong to post pictures of ex boyfriends, whom you havent spoken to in 16 years? I have no clue what happened to this guy once he moved out of my house, who knows where he is, for all I know he could live around the corner!

Back from my trip to Chicago

I had so much fun in Chicago. But I must say that now I know what hell will feel like!! What the hell is up with that humidity?? We do not have that here in California, thank you very much! I have never ever experienced weather like that. My midwestern friend was laughing at me, to be sure!

We saw lots of really cool things. The park down by Lake Michigan (Grant Park or maybe Millenium Park) was amazing. The fountains there were so cool! It was great to get out and travel. TKW, I totally thought of you when I saw the freeway sign for Wisconsin!

Wild Card Wednesday (or wow maybe now someone will come visit my very lonely blog)

Wild Card Wednesday featuring the letter W is brought to you by the very lovely TKW. Today I present you with Water. I would like my bonus points now please.

My son on his "boat" ride with his dad. They are in the wet water! (Double bonus points, please) My husband reports that it is very hard to row with a 40 pound kid in front of you. He also reports that boat rides are much like car rides... "go faster daddy!" "are we there yet?" "how much longer, row faster!"

My daughter filling the pool outside the cabin. We had to connect the hose to the faucet in the kitchen to get the water! My sister in law was very creative in devising the connector. It only took 2 hours to fill the pool. And the whining (oooh another w... more useless points, please!) sounded much like the boat ride... "is it done yet?" "how much longer?" "i want to go in, make it go faster!"

I am training someone's future husband....

And I am doing this job right! My boy will be able to cook and clean with the best of them. No need for the wife to do all that crap herself.